Film winding control for cameras



March 4, 1952 c. E. SMITH FILM WINDING CONTROL FOR CAMERAS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25. 1949 INVENTOR. CLARENCE E SMITH ATTORNEY C. E. SMITH March 4, 1952 CONTROL FOR CAMERAS INVENTOR. 0L AREA/0E 1:. SMITH March 4, 1952 c E; M H

FILM WINDING CONTROL FOR CAMERAS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 25, 1949 IIIIII/" IIll II I I I I III! III

III I I INVENTOR. CLARENCE E. SMITH ATTORNEY March 4, 1952 c. E. SMITH 2,588,054

FILM WINDING CONTROL FOR CAMERAS Filed July 25, 1949 5 SheetsSheet 4 INVENTOR. CLARENCE E 5M/TH BY Ana/ENE) Y C. E. SMITH FILM WINDING CONTROL FOR CAMERAS March 4, 1952 Filed July 25, '1949 Patented Mar. 4, 1952 FILM WINDING CONTROL FOR CAMERAS- Clarence Elwood Smith, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Grafiex, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 25, 1949, Serial 'No.-1 06,"628

.3 Claims. (01.242-71) "The present invention relates to a film holder for use on photographic cameras. More particularly, the invention relates to a removable film holder that can be attached to a conventional type of camera having a suitable back plate that is equipped'with a removable focusing panel.

There has long been a need I01 asultacle IOll film holder for cameras of the type normally using film or plate holders; and, while there has been a number of roll film holders placed on the market'a't different times, all, insofar as I know, have been unsatisfactory in one way or another.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a roll film holder which is in the form of a thus providing an easy means ofloading film into the roll film holder.

'Still another object of the invention is to provide a roll film holder having a removable film carriage, and permitting film to be partially unwound from the supply spool to the take-up spool before the carriage is'replaced in the holder,

.and permitting the film to be further unwound after the carriage is in the holder to bring successive film areas into position for successive exposures.

:A still further object of the invention is to provide a roll film holder having a simple indexing means that will automatically stop the winding knob when the film area .for the first picture. is in positionand willautomatically stop the .film for :each exposure thereafter until all of the exposures of the film haveheen made.

Still another object of .the .invention is to provide'a. roll film holder with a counting'means in which the counter is automatically disconanected-after all :the exposures on the rolllhave been 'madepthus allowing the :film trailer to be readily wound onto the .take-up'spool to render the take-up spool light-tight for removal from the roll film holder.

Other :objects of the .invention are to provide aremovable roll film holder which is simple in construction, convenient to use, and that-is easy to :load :and unload without scratching'or otherwise marking the film surface.

Still other objects of the invention 'will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims.

In the drawings: I

Fig. l is an isometric view of a roll-film holder constructed according to oneembodiment of the invention and showing the holder in closed condition with its counter in position for the first exposure;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the film spool carriage removed from the roll film holder, the film spools having been removed from the carriage, and the counter being shown in the position it occupies when the eighth exposure has been made;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 2 but-showing the film spools and film in place with the counter in position for the No. 1 exposure;

Fig. 4 is a-topplan view of the film spoolcarriage with the film spools removed;

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4 showing the counter in position for the start of film winding;

Fig. 6 isa-side view of the film spool carriage with the mechanism cover, the winding knob, counter dial, and the outer support plate removed to show the arrangement of the parts that make up the mechanismassembly; the parts beenlarged scale taken-on the line-l-0IU of Fig. 5;

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing the counter release lever assembly in side elevation; and

FigJlZis a'detail view showing the lock lever disengaged from theindexplate and the spring lever in engagement with a notch of the plate.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, 20 denotes generally the roll holder base; 2| is theroll holder cover; and 22 is the film spool carriage. The carriage 22 is adapted to be removably secured between the cover '2! and the base 20, the cover being hinged to'the base to permit the :carriage to be removed from or to be replaced upon the base.

The :film spool carriage is in the form of a Usshaped frame having a bottom member 25 3 (Fig. 4) and upstanding side walls 26 and 21 (Figs. 2 and 4) The bottom member 25 forms a film pressure pad to hold the film in the focal plane of the camera after the carriage is assembled in the roll holder and the roll holder has been attached to the camera.

Secured to the side wall 26 by rivets 28 is a leaf spring 30 (Fig. 2). The side wall 26 is provided with two spaced circular openings 3| and 32. Mounted upon the spring 3|] at opposite sides of the rivets 28 and in alinement with the openings 3| and 32 are the shoulder studs 33 and 34. Stud 33 forms a bearing for one end of the take-up spool 35 (Fig. 3) of the film holder, and stud 34 forms a bearing for one end of the supply spool 36. The opposite end of the take-up spool is adapted to be connected to and supported by the spool drive member 31 (Figs. 4 and 10), to which further reference will be made hereinafter, and the opposite end of the supply spool is adapted to be carried by the bearing end 38 of a screw 39.

Between the two side walls 26 and 21 are mounted the idler rolls 48 and 4|. The idler roll 48 is provided at opposite ends with stub shafts or trunnions 42 and 43 (Fig. 4) that fit into suitable journal holes in the walls 26 and 21, respectively, to rotatably support the roll on the carriage. Roller 4| is similarly mounted in the walls 26 and 21.

Attached to the wall 21 of the carriage by machine screws 44- (Fig. 10) is a cover plate 45.

Between the wall 21 and the cover plate 45 there is mounted a fiat supporting plate 46. This is secured in spaced relation to the side wall 21 by means of screws 41 and 39 and bushings 48 and 49. The bushings 48 and 49 surround the screws 41 and 39, respectively, and are interposed between side wall 21 and supporting plate 46.

Journalled in aligned holes in the wall 21 and plate 46 is a shaft 58. This shaft is threaded at its inner ends; and to this threaded inner end is secured the drive key 31, previously referred to, for the takeup film roll. The shaft 58 has a wide-faced spur pinion integral with it, and it has a splined portion 53 upon which is mounted a ratchet wheel 52. The shaft 50 is adapted to be rotated manually by a knob 55. The shaft has a threaded outer end 56 which threads into the bushing 51 of the knob 55. The cover plate 45 has a recess or aperture 58 formed in it to receive the knob.

Mounted in the aligned holes in the wall 21 and supporting plate 46 in parallelism to shaft 50 is ashort shaft 60. The shaft 68 has a gear 6| splined to it and a pinion 62 integral with it. The gear 6| meshes with the pinion 5| of shaft 56, so that the shaft 68 is rotated on rotation of the knob 55.

Journalled in the supporting plate 46 is a hub member 65 to which there is secured an interrupted spur gear 66 having a portion 66 around its periphery which is without teeth. This gear is adapted to mesh with the pinion 62 of shaft 60. Integral with the hub member 65 is a notched index plate 61 (Figs. 6, 8 and Also integral with the hub member 65 is a cam 68. Secured to the hub member 65 by means of the screw 69 is the counter dial 10 (Figs. 1 and 10). This dial is held against rotation relative to the hub member 65 by a key (not shown). Cover plate 45 has a hole or recess 61 in it to receive the dial.

The counter-dial 18 is graduated, as shown, in

accordance with the numberof pictures that may 4 be made from a roll of film. This dial is adapted to read against an index mark (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) provided on a lug 1| which is integral with the cover plate 45.

The index plate 61 is provided with a plurality of notches 12 which are spaced unequal distances apart (Figs. 6, 8 and 12). The first notch is denoted at 12'. These notches correspond in number to the number of exposures on the film which is to be used in the camera. They are adapted to be engaged successively by the hooked end 13 of a lever 15 that is pivotally mounted on the shaft 68 (Figs. 8 and 10). The lever 15 is provided with another hook-like portion 16 at the end opposite hook 13; and this hook-like portion 16 is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 52. The lever 15 is also formed with a projecting end 18 which extends upwardly through a notch 19 (Fig. 2) in the cover plate 45 (Fig. 1). By pressing -on projecting end 18 to swing the lever in a clockwise direction about the axis of shaft 60, as viewed in Fig. 6, the lever may be disengaged from the notches of index plate 51 and ratchet wheel 52 as will further be described hereinafter.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the index plate 61 is notched only around approximately half of its periphery and the remaining approximate half of the periphery of the plate is smooth. The hooked end 13 of the lever 15, which constitutes a dog, is constantly urged into engagement with the index plate and the hooked end 16 of this lever is constantly urged into engagement with the ratchet wheel 52 by a. coil spring which is coaxial with shaft 68. One end of this spring is hooked around the lower end of the lever 15 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) and its opposite end is hooked over a projection or lug 8| formed on plate 46.

The lock-lever 15 not only holds theratchet wheel 52 and, through it, the film take-up spool 35 (Fig. 3) in any position to which it has been.

rotated but prevents accidental movement of the knob 55 in a counter-clockwise direction while any of the exposable part of the film is in position to be exposed. To prevent clockwise rotation of the knob 15 a stop-dog (Fig. 6) is provided. This stop-dog is pivoted on the plate 21 on a shoulder rivet 86. It is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a coil spring 81, which is hooked at one end over a lug 88 provided on the stop-dog and which is hooked at its opposite end over a lug 89 provided on the plate 21.

Attached to the lever 15 by means of a rivet I83 (Fig. 11 and 12) is a fiat spring or arm I05. This spring or arm has a finger I06 bent laterally from it (Figs. 8, l1 and 12) that is adapted to engage the notches 12 of the index plate 61 when the lever 15 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as will be described further hereinafter, to hold the lever out of engagement with the notches of the index plate.

Secured in any suitable manner to the hub 9| (Fig. 10), which is rotatable on bushing 49, is a lever 98 (Figs. 6 and 10). The lever 98 is constantly urged into engagement with the periphery of the cam 68 by a coil spring 92. One end of this spring is hooked over a lug 94 formed on plate 21 (Figs. 6 and 7), and its opposite end is anchored in a lug 95 formed on the lever. The spring surrounds the bushing 49 between the plate 46 and a collar 96 that is formed integral with the bushing.

The lever 98 is provided with spaced fingers or is providedwith peripheral notches I and ml.

The fingers 91 and 98 of the lever 90 ride on the periphery of the cam plate 68 when the plate is in the position shown in Fig. 6, but are adapted to engage the shoulders formed by the notches I00 and IOI, respectively, as seen in Fig. 8, when the cam plate is rotated from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 8. In this latter position hook 98 holds cam plate 68 and gear 66 against rotation in a clockwise direction, whilespring 92 acting through finger 9I urges the cam and gear in a counter-clockwise direction.

The cover plate 45 is provided with a step adjacent supporting plate 21 which with the supporting plate forms a recess I I0 which is adapted to cooperate with tongues formed in the base of the holder and in the cover of the holder, respectively, to form a light-tight fit between the film carriage, the base, and thecover.

Attached to the wall 26 of the carriage by screws II2 (Fig. 2) is a cover plate II (Fig. 4). The cover plate I I5 serves to cover up the outside of the wall 26 and enclose the spring 30 (Fig. 2). The'cover plate H5 is formed with a step adjacent the supporting plate 26; and this step forms with the supporting plate 26 a recess or groove II6 that is adapted to receive cooperatin tongues on the base and cover ZI to provide a light-tight fit between the film carriage. the base, and the cover.

To the bottom member or pressure pad of the film spool carriage there is attached a leaf spring I20 (Figs. 2 and 4). This is fastened between its ends by means of rivets I 2| to the bottom member 25. The spring member I20 is adapted to contact the peripheries of the two film spools and 36 and provide a slight tension on these two spools.

When the film carriage is positioned upon the base, the grooves H0 and H6 (Fig. 6) of thecarriage receive mating tongues formed on vthe base; and the ledges III and H2 (Figs. 4.and 10) around the cover plates and .5 of the carriage seat in mating grooves of the base plate to form a light-tight fit with the base.

Feet or projections I70 (Figs. .6 and 7) are pro- .vided on the side plates 26 and 2! to support the film spool carriage on the base and to provide sufiicient space for the free andeasy passage of the strip of film. The pressure pad 25 at the same time holds the .film in fiat condition for exposure.

To a suitable boss formed on the .base .is fastened by means of rivets I the latchplate I56. This latch plate is adapted to coact with a latch member made up of a series of slides designated generally at I58 (Fig. 1), that are secured to-the cover 2I by means of shoulder rivets I59. Certain of the plates, that make up sliding latch member I58, are connected to latch operatin members I that are supported by a square tubular member IBI. The cover latch forms no part of the invention and can be any suitable latch that will hold the cover 2I securely in place.

After the roll of film and the take-up roll have been mounted in the film spool carriage 22 and the cover 2| has been closed down over the carriage and locked to the base 20, the roll holder may be mounted upon the back of a conventional type camera having a suitable back. There is a groove in the base which is adapted to cooperate with a tongue on the rear of the camera to prevent light leaking in between the roll film holder and the camera.

In use, to load the roll film holder, the film spool carriage 22 is removed from the base mem- 'ber 20 and a fresh roll of film 36 is mounted on and between the studs 34 and 38 (Figs. 3 and :4). The film is then threaded over and around the idler AI, under the pressure plate 25, around the idler 40, and into a take-up spool 35that is positioned between the stud '33 and the drive key.3I. The film is then wound on the take-up spool '35 (Fig. 3) by means of the winding knob 55 until the arrow 200 (Fig. 9), that appears on all rolls of film manufactured today, is in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 9. The film spool carriage 22 is thenpositioned on the base member 20 and the cover '2I closed over the carriage and latched in place by means of the latch members previously referred to.

The dial "I0 .is :then adjusted to the position marked with the letter S (Fig. 5). The mechanism will then be in the position shown in Fig. -8 wherein the finger 91 of the dog 90 will be in contact with the side I00 of one notch of the cam 68. This will tend to cause the index plate 67 and gear to turn in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 8, bringing a toothed part of the gear 56 into engagement with the pinion 62.

At this time the hook portion 13 of the release lever I5 will be riding uponthe periphery of the index plate 61 and the hook portion I6 of this lever will be held out of engagement with the ratchet Wheel 52. The Winding knob 55 can, therefore, at this time be turned 'freely. The film is thereupon wound on the takes-up spool 35 (Fig. 3) until the first notch I2 (Fig. 10) of the index plate 61 comes into registry with the hook portion I3 of lever I5. Then the hook portion I3 will be snapped into engagement with the notch I2 by action of the spring 80. This will cause the hook portion I6 of the lever to engage the ratchet wheel 52 to prevent further rotation of the knob 55. The film will now be in position for No. 1 exposure and the counter dial I0 willbe in the'position shown in Fig. 3. In

winding the film to the No. 1 position, the film leader is wound up on the take-up spool 35. Sufficient space has been provided on the index plate 61 to allow for the rather long length of the leader to be wound on the take-up spool before the first notch I2 reaches the finger I3.

After the first picture has been taken, the photographer presses the projecting portion I8 of the lever I5 to disengage the hook portion I3 from the notch 12. The upturnedfinger I06 (Figs. .8, 11 and ,12) of leaf spring I05 will at this time drop into the notch I2 of the index plate to hold thehooked end I3 of the lever I5 clear of the notch I2 so that the knob 55 can be turned. Fig. 12 shows the lock lever [5 in disengaged position and the finger I06 of the spring lever I05 engaged with one of the notches I2 of the index plate .6I. As theinterrupted gear 66 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction during winding of the film the spring finger I06 will ride up on the side of the notch I2 thus leaving the lever I5 and finger 13 free to drop into the next notch of the index plate once the plate has been turned sufficiently far. When this happens the rotation of the knob 55 will again bestopped; and the film will be in position for the second exposure. After the second picture has been taken, the lever I5 is released as before by pressing upon the protrusion I8.

So the operation proceeds. The notches "I2 are spaced progressively .idecreasing distances apart, considered in a counter-clockwise direction aroundthe index plate B'Iso that theii 'ht amount of film will be fed onto the take-up spool .after each exposure. When the eighth exposure -ment with the ratchet wheel by action of the spring I (Figs. 8 and 11). The film trailer can be now wound on the take-up spool 35 (Fig. 3) but the film counter will remain at position 8 as shown in Fig. 4 because pinion 62 will be in registry with the untoothed portion 56' of gear 68 and will no longer transmit rotation to that gear. This condition will prevail until a new roll of film has been placed in the holder and wound to the position shown in Fig. 9, and the counter dial itself has been rotated to the position shown in Fig. 5 where the letter S of the dial I0 registers with the zero mark. The index plate 51, cam 68 and interrupted gear 85 are stationary during feed of the film to the position shown in Fig. 9 because the untoothed portion of gear 66 was left in registry with drive pinion 62 upon completion of the last (eighth) exposure of the preceding roll of film, and rotation of knob 55 is, therefore, not transmitted at this stage to gear 66. When the dial I0 is rotated to the starting position S," however, the index plate 51, cam 58, and interrupted gear 65 are rotated with it. This again positions the mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 8, in which the toothed portion of gear 66 is in position to mesh with pinion 52 and the spring 92 acts through lever 90 and nose 9! of that lever to drive the cam 68 far enough in a counterclockwise direction to cause the teeth of the gear to engage with the teeth of the pinion. The hook portion 98 of the lever 90 will hold the counter dial in that position against retrograde movement until the film is wound further. The knob 55 may then be rotated to advance the film to bring the first exposure area into exposure position and to rotate index plate 51 to the position shown in Fig. 6 where it is locked up with the film in this position.

As will be seen from the preceding description a roll film holder has been disclosed that is simple to manufacture and simple to operate. Loading of the holder can easily be effected; after the.

counter is once set, the film is automatically spaced for each exposure subsequent to the first; and the winding knob is stopped in a proper spaced position after each movement thereof until the release lever is operated.

While a film holder has been described which is constructed to make eight exposures, it will be obvious that with simple modification a different number of exposures can be provided. Thus, if the film is adapted to take twelve pictures, twelve exposures can be made simply by using an index plate 61 having twelve notches l2 properly spaced instead of the eight shown.

It will further be understood that while the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention, following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art 8 to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or thelimits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A photographic film holder comprising a carriage, two supporting members rotatably mounted on the carriage for supporting a film supply spool and a take-up spool, respectively, manually operable means for rotating the takeup spool supporting member, an index plate rotatably mounted on the carriage, a train of gearing, including a drive pinion and an interrupted gear meshing therewith, for rotating the index plate upon rotation of said manually operable means, said index plate being provided with a plurality of notches extending part-way only around its periphery, a locking member movably mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage in the notches of the plate to lock the plate against rotation, a spring for constantly urging the locking member into locking position, said member being manually movable to disengaged position, said interrupted gear being so disposed angularly that its interrupted portion moves into registry with the drive pinion when the film has been Wound far enough to bring the last exposure area into position for exposure, means for holding the locking member disengaged when it is moved out of locking position thereafter, a manually rotatable indicator dial connected to said index plate for rotating the index plate, when the locking member is disengaged therefrom, and spring-actuated means for urging the toothed part of the interrupted gear back into mesh with the drive pinion, when said locking member is disengaged and after said index plate has been rotated through a predetermined angle.

2. A photographic film holder comprising a carriage, two supporting members rotatably mounted on said carriage for supporting a film supply spool and a take-up spool, respectively, a notched index plate rotatably mounted on the carriage and having angularly spaced notches corresponding in number to the number of exposure areas of the film arranged part-way only around its periphery, manually operable means for rotating the member which supports the takeup spool, a ratchet wheel secured to the take-up spool supporting member, gearing, including a drive pinion and an interrupted gear meshing therewith, connecting said take-up spool support to the index plate, said interrupted gear being secured to the index plate with its untoothed portion in registry with the unnotched portion of the index plate, a double-armed lever pivotally mounted on the carriage and having a detent formed on one arm to engage the notches of the ratchet wheel and a detent formed on its other arm to engage in the notches of the index plate, said lever being manually rockable to disengage said detents, an arm secured to said lever whose free end is positioned to engage in the notches of the index plate upon disengagement of the last-named detent therefrom to hold the lever out of engaging position until the last-named detent enters another notch of the index plate, and a manually rotatable indicator dial connected to the interrupted gear and index plate for rotating the index plate and interrupted gear back to starting positions.

3. A photographic film holder comprising a carriage, two supporting members rotatably mounted on said carriage for supporting a film supply spool and a take-up spool, respectively, a notched index plate rotatably mounted on the carriage and having angularly spaced notches corresponding in number to the number of exposure areas of the film arranged part-way only around its perphery, manually operable means for rotating the member which supports the take-up spool, a ratchet wheel secured to the take-up spool supporting member, gearing, including a drive pinion and an interrupted gear meshing therewith, connecting said take-up spool support to the index plate, said interrupted gear being secured to the index plate with its untoothed portion in registry with the unnotched portion of the index plate but the untoothed portion of the interrupted gear being of less angular extent than the unnotched portion of the index plate, a double-armed lever pivotally mounted on the carriage and having a detent formed on one arm to engage the notches of the ratchet wheel and a detent formed on its other arm to engage in the notches of the index plate, said lever being manually rockable to disengage said detents, an arm secured to said lever whose free end is adapted to engage in the notches of the index plate upon disengagement of the lastnamed detent therefrom to hold the lever out of engaging position until the last-named detent enters another notch of the index plate, a manually rotatable indicator dial connected to the interrupted gear and index plate for rotating the index" plate and interrupted gear back to starting positions, a cam connected to the index plate to rotate therewith, said cam member having two notches therein, a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage and having spaced portions adapted to engage respectively, simultaneously with said two notches, and a spring for urging said lever in one direction about its pivot to cause one of said portions to urge the cam, and with it the interrupted gear, to starting positions, when said portion is in engagement with one notch of the cam, the other portion of the last-named lever being adapted, when in engagement with the other notch of the cam, to prevent reverse rotation of the cam and interrupted gear.

CLARENCE ELWOOD SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 949,450 Scotchmer Feb. 15, 1910 1,036,385 Vale Aug. 20, 1912 2,063,331 Nagel Dec. 8, 1936 2,150,696 Nelson Mar. 14, 1939 2,161,941 Zapp June 13, 1939 2,233,345 Hineline Feb. 2, 1941 2,245,606 Rauch June 17, 1941 2,340,624 Simmon Feb. 1, 1944 2,347,732 Briechle et al. May 2, 1944 2,356,284 Stockdale Aug. 22, 1944 2,511,215 Mihalyi June 30, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 580,0 7 Germany July 5, 1933 727,352 Germany Nov. 18, 1942' 

